The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-01

DllSS Allcu hQe" anu CdTeu dS lilti
ahout stock-raising in the West as jim
did about spelling and grammar. Beside
she had no idea that sod -pelter' mean
farmer, and she had a shadowy notion
that Jim meant to devote the remainde
of his existence to throwing clods o
grass, like the old man in the spelling
book.
The days of that week passed rathe
slowly for Miss Allen. She tried hard t.
accept Jim's presence in missionar!
spirit, but, in truth, he was perpetua
trial to her .order-loving. sympathetic
soul. He was not bad, but he was 81
big! He seemed to try to do right, bu
he was so utterly unframed in the way:
of the school room that every motion va:
blunder.
And yet, in his own sphere, Jim had c
skill they never dreamed of. His grace
and accuracy with horse and gun ano
lariat would have been marvel to any
man in that city. Perhaps he felt hi:
present inferiority even more than nj:
teacher did. Perhaps the days were
wearily long to him, and the year seemed
endless in prospect.
Miss Allen had planned school picnic
for Saturday, and on Friday the children
were full of excitement about it. One
of them told her that Jim wasn't going
At first she was rather relieved to hear it,
but when she entered the school-room she
was touched by the homesick look on the
boys face.
James" said she, kindly, II an
afraid Cur life here does not seem quite
natural to you
'sIm afraid not answered James,
dryly; and then added, with burst Of
confidence: "N-hy, Miss Allen, in al
this week / haint seen nor heard but just
one thing that seemed natural to me, and
that was the story you was a-readin' us
about that old ranchman that pasturcd On
the Government land"
"W'hat!" cried his teacher, IN blank
astonishmcnt.
"That had such a big bunch of sons,
you know; and they was his cowboys"
"But I haven't read any such story
said Miss Allen.
"Why, yes, don't you remembcr?" said
Jim. 'And one day, when they was off
on the range. the old man sent the little
kid out from the home ranch to look 'em
up, and find out how they was"
NO." said the young lady; 'I never
read you story like that"
"Perhaps you don't remember" said
Jim, "but I do, because it seemed natur-
al. And the kid went on, and got where
he thought they was; and he found they
had moved the whole bunch on to anoth-
er range. And when he did find them,
they chucked the little kid into big
waSh-out, and then pulled him out and
sold him to the Indians"
"JamesW
"That's what you said," continued
Jim, respectful but positive. Il don't
remember what the book called 'em, but
you said they was the same as the Araps
in the geography. That's what We call
the Arapahocs.
'The Arabs!" exclaimed Miss Allen.
'iIt is possible that you mean the story of
Joseph and his brethren9"
"That's it," answered Jim. 81 couldn't
think of the name. Poor little kid! We
wouldn't treat no little kid that way.
That part wasn't natural"
Miss Alien did not know how exactly
the present life on the great plains is rep
resented by some passages of the Old
Testament. She concluded to postpone
the matter of Biblical 'exegesis, and said,
cheerfully: "You will get used to US in
time, Ihope, James,"
81 don't know" said Jim, rather dole
fully. "Whcn fellows been maverick
long as have, it comes rather rough to
be rounded-up and roped and branded,
even if they do put him into nice little
corral like this. And then, an old ranger
like me hates to trot along with the
calves"
Miss Allen did not understand this
speech very well, but she felt that her
new pupil was homesick and lonely, and,
like the good little woman that she was,
she spoke so kiudly that her simple
words went straight to the. boys heart.
He replied only ''thank you," but she
was 'astonished to see that the tears
flashed into his eyes as he spoke.
Witha new interest in him, she said,
and cordially: 81 hope YOU
will go to the picnic tomorrow, James.
You will like to see something of the
country, 1 think"
''I'll come if you want me-" said
Jim.
Gray's Park could hardly be called
sthe country" To be sure, it was q
wild and picturesque little spot, but after
all there were only few acres of land,
set off by the city for public recreation.
The river runs by Gray's Park, playing
with pebbles and trailing willow
branches like peaceful country river;
but little farther down the stream it
plunges with mighty hustle and roar of
business down q great dam. Here are
the city mills, and in the
quietcst part of Gray's Park you can
hear the whir-r-r of machinery mingled
with the noises of the streets.
The picnic was like other school-pic-
MICS. The children ran and shouted,
brought Miss Allen wonderful collec-
ton of flowers and leaves and pebbles,
ate too much dinner, got their feet wet,
and found mud-turtle.
1t was almost time to 60 home. Miss
Allen had repacked the lunch baskets,
and Jim had taken down the swing,
though he climbed rather awkwardly,
and declared that he 'felt like tender
foot in q tree"
He lay by the waters edge, coiling the
rope upon his left arm, and handling it
rather wistfully. jim could do wonder
full things with rope. If he had been